Dakota strikes Gold in Beverley Bullet

Breaking prominently in this five furlong sprint, the six-year-old was always in command of this Listed event and won comfortably from the running on Last Empire with Keep Busy back in third.

It was Dakota Gold’s first win from five starts this season – and a return to the type of form that saw the gelding rise up the sprinting ranks in a glorious 2019.

Then Dakota Gold won at York before landing the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon. Yet, four days later, the horse was winning at the Ebor Festival on the Knavesmire in spectacular style.

Dakota Gold then rounded off the campaign with a third win at York and listed success at Ascot under the watchful eye of Darlington-based Dods who is a master when it comes to sprinters.

A seventh-placed finish in this month’s renewal of the Great St Wilfrid suggested that Dakota Gold was flying high once again and so it proved.

“It’s great to get him back in the winners’ enclosure,” said Beasley. “I had a very good time with him last year, winning five with him, and he took me to the all big meetings which a jockey like me needs.

“This year it’s been harder as he’s been in the better races but this was a good bit of placing by the boss and I am glad he got his head in front.

“At this level he can get them all at it from a long way out and you need horses like him - he’s been a great little horse for me. He’s a bit of a tricky customer but he’s a good one to have on your side.”

Meanwhile, Charlie Hills has not ruled out sending out stable star Battaash to Ireland for the Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh next month.

The five-furlong prize on September 13 is the only Group One sprint in Europe over the minimum trip missing from the CV of the six-year-old gelding. Battaash has been invincible this year, winning at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood, before showing great guts and resolution to deny the Dods-trained Que Amoro in last week’s Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

Hills said: “We will keep all the options open for Battaash and just see how the horse is and go from there. I’m happy though with the way he has come out of the York race.

“We have got Ireland, France for the Abbaye, then America for the Breeders’ Cup and they are probably the only three races for him.

“We will have a chat with the team next week.

“No decision has been made, but Ireland has certainly not been ruled out.

“We have just got to look at the travel options and see what opportunities there are to do what, and hopefully get it right.”

In other news Ralph Beckett will only run Max Vega in the Pertemps St Leger at Doncaster provided conditions are suitable.

Having finished down the field in the Derby on his penultimate start, last year’s Zetland Stakes winner returned close to his best when finding only Hukum too strong in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury.

While Beckett – who won the St Leger with Simple Verse in 2015 – is keen to let Max Vega have a second shot at Classic glory, his chances of appearing on Town Moor will depend on how much rain falls in the build up.

Beckett said: “Max Vega will go to Doncaster, but the ground has to be soft and that is the short of it.

“If it comes up soft at Doncaster he will be OK and we know that the trip will be fine.

“He will have entries elsewhere in places like France and we will pick the one where the ground is most suitable.”

Sue Smith recorded her first winner of the 2020-21 National Hunt season when Burning Issues came from last to first to win at Sedgefield.

It was a first win for the yard for never-say-die 10lb conditional jockey Alexander Fielding who was lucky not to be unseated at the opening obstacle.

Yet Burning Issues, 13, jumped the last like a Puissance horse to reward Fielding for making the 9st 4lb weight.

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James Mitchinson